Bath Scrub With Refillable Soap Dispenser

ABSTRACT

A bathing implement comprises a wash scrub made of material selected from the group consisting of loofah, sponge, nylon, fabric, and the combination thereof; a handle in a shape of a cartoon character, an animal, a car; a refillable soap container made of rubber attached to the base of the handle and located in the center of the wash scrub; and a quantity of soap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bathing implement and, more specifically, wash scrubs having refillable soap dispenser attached thereto.

Description of Related Art

A variety of hand-held washing devices are available such as scrub brushes, sponges, and the like. When a person uses these washing devices, he/she will need to apply soap to the device prior to using the devices. He/she may need to repeatedly apply the soap onto the device that means he/she will need to hold the soap in one hand and the device in the other. Obviously, the bathing experience is tedious and inconvenient. Some devices have integrated soap contained within the device. However, these devices are difficult for the user as the soap either cannot be refilled or is difficult to replenish once depleted. Therefore, there is a need for a device that can overcome these problems. Further, taking a bath is an effective way for reducing pressure. However, it may not be true for some children or parents whose children do not like taking bath. Accordingly, there exists a need for a bathing device that is aesthetically pleasant for kids so it can add fun to their bathing experience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a bathing implement, which comprises a wash scrub made of material selected from the group consisting of loofah, sponge, nylon, fabric, and the combination thereof; a handle having a base; a container having a top opening, a fill cap for tightly sealing the top opening, at least one resealable opening, and an interior hollow space; a holding mechanism for holding the container such that the container located in the middle of the wash scrub; and a quantity of soap located in the interior hollow space. The mechanism may also be part of the upper part such as a caricature or item. (The head would become the filling point for the liquid soap to be added and the one way release valve would be at the bottom part of the caricature or item). For that being said one would squeeze the caricature which then causes the release of the liquid soap into the sponge or loofah that is also attached on to the caricature—screws can be used. This would allow for one to replace the sponge or loofah for disposal or replacement with said new attachment.

These wash scrubs may have different shapes, sizes and assorted colors, (loofah sponge, nylon loofah netting, sponge and rag or cloth material). The soap container may have various shapes such as a round shape, an oval shape, and a bulb shape, and various colors. The bulb, ball or tube will be variable sizes with one side or end that has a removable cap either pull/push or screw on for tightness. The handle may be a type of cartoon characters that will screw on the top of the soap container and attach to the wash scrub. For example, sponge or loofah will be the dress and the upper torso will be the characters, such as a Disney® or other characters when approved with legal rights. The characters may also hold the liquid soap inside with bulb or tube designed into the sponge or other items. The characters are made of a soft rubber material, such as loofah sponge, nylon loofah, sponge and rag or cloth material. The characters may have the rubber ball or bulb inserted in the middle of them. The rubber ball or bulb may be formed/contoured or made to be extracted from each item listed above. Each item will have a way to keep the rubber ball or bulb from coming out on its own, whether there is a Velcro, zipper or string tie at one end to seal and close shut. On some of the items listed above, may or may not have an elastic band in different forms of material sewed in the middle of them to hold the rubber ball or bulb in place from moving around. Each item may have a type of hanging devise in different forms of material. Each item listed above can be created with characters, animals, cars, shapes Etc. These items may be lased, bedazzled, colored and placed with sounds/Audio, lighting of Choice, as long as everything placed on or in these items are water resistant or water proof.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bathing implement according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bathing implement according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the device showing the rubber ball is located inside the wash scrub and attached to the bottom of the cartoon character's upper part.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the device showing the rubber ball is located inside the wash scrub and attached to the bottom of the cartoon character's upper part.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an alternate embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view showing the wash scrub sponge having a cavity therein for holding a soap container.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the soap container is held inside the cavity of the wash scrub sponge.

FIG. 11 depicts a spring forced pressure valve inserted in the bottom of soap container according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 depicts an alternate embodiment of the device without a handle according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, there is disclosed a bathing implement comprising a handle in a shape of a cartoon character's upper part 10, which has a base; and a wash scrub 20, which is attached to the bottom of the handle 10. The wash scrub 20 is made of material selected from loofah, sponge, nylon, fabric, and the combination thereof. The handle 10 is made of elastomeric substance including natural rubber, synthetically produced rubber such as butyl rubber or neoprene, or polyethylene, or the combination thereof. The bathing implement also comprises a container 30, which can be in different shapes, sizes, materials. For example, the container may be in an oval shape or a round shape. For example, the container may be made of elastomeric substance including but not limited to natural rubber, synthetically produced rubber such as butyl rubber or neoprene, or the combination thereof. The container 30 has a fill opening 32 on the top, at least one resealable openings, and an interior hollow space. The top fill opening allows liquid soap or gel soap to fill into the hollow space of the container. The container 30 further has a fill cap 34, which matches the size of the top opening 32 and can tightly seal the top fill opening 32 by either screwing on or pushing on.

In one embodiment, the cartoon character's base 12 has a screw receptacle 14 for receiving the screw 36 on the container's cap 34 (FIGS. 3-5). The container 30 is attached to the base 12 of the cartoon character through a screw receptacle 14 and screw 34 (FIG. 1). FIGS. 6-7 demonstrate a cross sectional view of FIGS. 1 and 2 which show that the round or oval shaped soap container 30 is attached to the base 12 of the cartoon character and is in the center or middle of the scrub wash 20.

In an alternate embodiment as depicted in FIG. 8, the wash scrub 20 of the bathing implement is made of a piece of sponge or loofah, which has a lower part of the cartoon character 40 carved thereon. The container 30 is attached to the base of the upper part of the cartoon character 10 via screw and screw receptacle fastening mechanism as described earlier. Depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10 are the cross-sectional view of the sponge wash scrub 20 in an alternate embodiment, the sponge wash scrub 20 has a cavity 38 functioning like the holding mechanism to tightly hold the container 30 therein. The sponge wash scrub may have a Velcro or zipper to close the opening of the cavity 38.

The container 30 is made of elastomeric substance such that the container is like a rubber squeezable ball. The rubber squeezable ball 30 has at least one resealable openings so that when the rubber ball 30 is squeezed, a portion of liquid soap is released from the container through the at least one resealable openings into the wash scrub. In one embodiment, the container has at least one extracting/release valve restricting the amount liquid soap comes out. In one embodiment as depicted in FIG. 11, the container 30 has a spring forced pressure valve 50 inserted in the bottom of the container. When the container is squeezed, releases soap from the bottom of valve through the openings into the wash scrub. In an alternate embodiment, the container 30 has a dispense mechanism coupled to the container and structured to be activated to cause a portion of the soap in the interior hollow space to pass out of the interior hollow space through the at least one resealable opening.

In an alternate embodiment, the handle has a cavity for tightly holding soap container and a base having a hole in the center for allowing the liquid soap to flow into the wash scrub. The soap container is located inside the cavity of the elastomeric cartoon character.

In an alternate embodiment, the handle has a cavity for accommodating the liquid soap and a base having a reseable opening in the center for allowing the liquid soap flow from the hollow space through out to the wash scrub.

In an alternate embodiment as depicted in FIG. 12, the device has no handle. The soap container 30 is located at the center of the wash scrub 30 made of sponge, or nylon loofah netting.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bathing implement comprising: a wash scrub made of material selected from the group consisting of loofah, sponge, nylon, fabric, and the combination thereof; a container having a top opening, a fill cap for tightly sealing the top opening, at least one resealable opening, and an interior hollow space; a holding mechanism for holding the container such that the container located near the center of the wash scrub; and a quantity of soap located in the interior hollow space.
 2. The bathing implement of claim 1 further comprising a handle which is in shape of a cartoon character, an animal, a car, or a ship, and has a base.
 3. The bathing implement of claim 1, wherein the handle is in a shape of a cartoon character's upper part.
 4. The bathing implement of claim 3, wherein the handle is made of elastomeric substance.
 5. The bathing implement of claim 3, wherein the handle is made of fabric material.
 6. The bathing implement of claim 3, wherein the container is in one of a round shape, an oval shape, and a bulb shape.
 7. The bathing implement of claim 6, wherein the container is made of elastomeric substance.
 8. The bathing implement of claim 7, wherein the mechanism for holding the container is a screw located on the top of the fill cap of the container and a corresponding screw receptacle located in the center of the base of the handle such that the container is attached to the base of the handle and near the center of the wash scrub.
 9. The bathing implement of claim 7, wherein the wash scrub resembles a skirt worn on the cartoon character's.
 10. The bathing implement of claim 7, wherein the wash scrub is made of a piece of sponge having a lower part of the cartoon character carved thereon.
 11. The bathing implement of claim 10, wherein the sponge wash scrub has a cavity functioning like the holding mechanism to tightly hold the container therein.
 12. The bathing implement of claim 7, wherein the at least one resealable opening is located on a bottom of the container, the container further includes at least one extracting/release valve restricting the amount liquid soap comes out of the container.
 13. The bathing implement of claim 7, wherein the container further includes a spring forced pressure valve which is inserted in the bottom of the container, when the container is squeezed soap is released from the valve through the resealable opening into the surrounding wash scrub.
 14. The bathing implement of claim 7, further comprises a dispense mechanism coupled to the container and structured to be activated to cause a portion of the soap in the interior hollow space to pass out of the interior hollow space through the at least one resealable opening.
 15. A bathing implement comprising: a wash scrub made of material selected from the group consisting of loofah, sponge, nylon, fabric, and the combination thereof; a quantity of soap located in the interior hollow space of the soap container; and a handle having a cavity and a detachable base, the handle being in a shape of cartoon characters' upper part; wherein the handle is made of elastomeric substance and the wash scrub is attached to the base of the handle.
 16. The bathing implement of claim 15 further comprising a soap container, which has a top opening, a fill cap for tightly sealing the top opening, at least one resealable opening, and an interior hollow space.
 17. The bathing implement of claim 15 wherein the cavity of the handle is designed for tightly holding the soap container and the base having a hole in the center for allowing the liquid soap to flow into the wash scrub wash.
 18. The bathing implement of claim 15 wherein the cavity of the handle is designed for accommodating the liquid soap and the base having a hole in the center for allowing the liquid soap to flow into the wash scrub wash.
 19. The bathing implement of claim 15, wherein the wash scrub resembles a skirt worn on the cartoon character's.
 20. The bathing implement of claim 15, wherein the wash scrub is made of a piece of sponge having a lower part of the cartoon character carved thereon. 